56-year-old returned from US with flu symptoms but sought help after a week
By
Ben Nadarajan & Kimberly Spykerman
A statement from the ministry said a number of recent patients engaged in 'extensive community activities' such as shopping, going to work and taking part in mass activities after arriving here. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
A GERMAN researcher who returned to Singapore from the United States with flu symptoms on June 8 continued with his normal activities for a week before seeking medical treatment.
During that time, he went to work for several days, did some shopping, attended a concert and was at a function at the French ambassador's residence, which was attended by about 70 people.
Cases so far
Total number of cases: 49
Imported: Australia (25), the United States (16), the Philippines (5), Thailand (1), Canada (1).
The 56-year-old man, who works at the Biopolis, was diagnosed with the Influenza A (H1N1) virus on Monday night.
He was one of two new H1N1 cases here yesterday, bringing the total number of affected people here to 49.
The second patient, an Indonesian man who works here, went shopping just before he went to the emergency department at the Tan Tock Seng Hospital.
When he returned from Melbourne on Sunday, he had already had flu symptoms for three days. The Ministry of Health (MOH) came out strongly yesterday to remind travellers returning from areas which have been listed as H1N1-affected to seek medical attention immediately.
A statement from the ministry said a number of recent patients engaged in 'extensive community activities' such as shopping, going to work and taking part in mass activities after arriving here.
'Such behaviour has considerably increased the difficulty of contact tracing and significantly heightened the risk of community spread here in Singapore,' the MOH statement said.
In several earlier cases, patients also went to work, attended school and social gatherings, and took public transport even though they had flu symptoms and had returned from affected areas such as Melbourne.
The German patient rested at home for a day, but then went to work for three days. Last Thursday evening, he attended a function hosted by the French ambassador for about 70 guests. Over the weekend, he went shopping, went to Clarke Quay and attended a concert.
It was only on Monday morning - seven days after returning to Singapore - that he called the MOH hotline for a 993 ambulance to take him to the Communicable Disease Centre.
Read the full story in Wednesday's edition of The Straits Times.
